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Spiritus
Mundi
sero sed serio
I hope you will forgive me for opening another thread in
response to the events of 9-11. I simply lack the time and energy to join
in the many worthy and spirited discussions already taking place on the boards,
yet I feel the need to express myself. I place the thread here because I
do not yet know what my anger will require of my expression, and I wish to
be prepared. The following are in no particular order, except for the first,
which is where it should be.
I am haunted by the image of brave people fighting their
way through panicked crowds to get into a burning building. I am
overwhelmed by the knowledge that if another disaster occurred tomorrow brave
men and women would fight their way through fleeing crowds again, that they
would once more (twice more, a thousand times more) risk their lives--even
now, when the potential consequences have been made so crushingly clear-even
now, they would fight through flames and fear and grief and risk everything
to save the lives of strangers. It’s their job. The job title isn’t
“hero”, but it should be. They deserve the title. They have earned
it.
I am grateful for the undeniable generosity of spirit and
substance that so many people have shown in the last week. The news is filled
with reports of the money, hard goods, blood, plasma, time, and volunteerism
that have organizations straining to meet the supply as well as the need.
I thank each and every person who has done anything, however trivial1 it
may seem, to help in this time of tragedy. In the words of a better man than
I ”You may not think that what you do is important, but it is very
important that you do it.” I hope also that we will remember that
while we are not all called upon to be heroes, we do all have a part we can
play. The overwhelming charitable response shows that we are doing our part
today. Please remember that, like the heroes who stand ready to answer the
next call, our job does not end tomorrow.
I am, as always, saddened by the realization that tragic
events spur both righteous anger and unreasoning anger. The former steels
resolve and encourages necessary action. The latter targets the innocent
simply because they share a religion or ethnicity or superficial external
characteristic with evil men. Looking over threads from the past week I have
been happy to see that people here have spoken out to oppose irrational violence
and to restrain passions so understandably inflamed. I thank those people
for their courage and dedication to justice and reason.
I am resigned to the knowledge that some will invariably
choose this opportunity to press a particular political perspective of Middle
East relations or domestic gun control or religious/areligeous superiority.
I understand that this is a board dedicated to fighting ignorance, but sometimes
being right is a very different thing than doing right. I greatly value both
the free expression of ideas and the unrepentant exchange of spirited debate,
but there is a time and a place for everything. This is the place. For me,
at least, it was not the time. Sometimes the proper expression is silence.
I am somewhat confused by some of the calls for greater
understanding of the perspective of our enemies. I was not under the impression
that the US Government had been operating in ignorance of the fact that some
Islamic extremists find popular support for their message that America is
an oppressive and evil country, as evidenced particularly by our past and
present support for the existence of Israel. The purpose of foreign policy
is not to make America universally liked. Amity is not the sole goal of
international relations, and the U.N. does not give out a “nation
congeniality” award. I acknowledge that other people, and other nations,
have their reasons to dislike the USA. That fact has no relevance to my complete
disgust and abiding rage toward anyone who engages in the indiscriminate
slaughter of thousands of civilians. After some consideration, I have rejected
the idea that we can protect ourselves from terrorism by making friends with
everyone who might grow up to be a terrorist.
I am passionately convinced that America, both in our citizenry
and with our government, must be clear and express clearly that our conflict
is not with Islam. Islam did not attack us. Islam is neither monolithic nor
intent upon our destruction.
I am confused by the reactions of anger or discomfort to
the chants of USA by rescue workers in Manhattan. I find myself wondering
if there is any scenario under which some people would find an expression
of national pride acceptable, even uplifting.
Finally, I am hopeful that President Bush will be both
determined and measured in his response to these acts. I am worried that
the passions running in both our nation and the nations of the Middle East
might be too easily inflamed beyond control. I am deeply troubled that two
decades of American attempts to broker peace in the region have inspired
widespread antipathy, outrage and resentment. I grieve for those who died
on September 11. I offer respect and condolences, insufficient but heartfelt,
to those who lost someone they loved. All of those thing, I feel, and much
more: shock and outrage, melancholy and disbelief, fear and resolution, sorrow
and profound fellowship.
All of these I feel, but not terror.
I was not terrorized on September 11.
I am not terrorized today.
I will not be terrorized tomorrow
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